Amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, efts, olms and caecilians) are an incredibly diverse and fascinating group. This course explores the relationships and taxonomy of the major types of amphibians; defining each group and the characters that unite them, before examining their biodiversity and unique adaptations. This course is a deep dive into the biology, morphology, physiology, biogeography, and evolution of amphibians. Topics such as reproduction, metamorphosis, functional morphology, freeze tolerance, and phenotypic plasticity will be covered in splendid detail, while also examining basic questions like ‘Is that frog or a toad?’, ‘a salamander or a newt?’ And ‘What do amphibians do in the winter?’

The course is intended for adults (18+) and assumes a basic understanding of biology, but not a requirement. All course materials will be available for free download, and all classes are recorded and posted in case you have to miss it.

This class takes place over 8 Saturday afternoons; each class is 3 hours long (2:30-5:30); basically 3 regular classes in succession each Saturday from March 23 - May 11, 2024. The $100 fee is for the entire course. See the course syllabus.

Class instructor, Mark Mandica, can be reached via email at mark@amphibianfoundation.org.   Click HERE to learn more about Mark and the Amphibian Foundation.